Sylhet Bureau :
91 boats engaged in illegal sand and stone extraction were seized from under the Dhalai Bridge in Companiganj, Sylhet. The operation of the combined forces started from 10 am on Monday under the leadership of Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Mr. Palash Talukder. In addition, on Sunday, 12 more boats and 12 sand looters were arrested in a mobile court operation in the same area.
Meanwhile, local administration faced widespread criticism in the incident of white stone looting last July. After that, the government took a strict stance to protect the Dhalai Bridge and the white stone area. At this time, Md. Sarwar Alam was posted as the Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet and the UNO and OC of Companiganj were transferred.
The ACC investigation revealed the names of 42 political leaders, including the president, general secretary, Ameer of the metropolitan Jamaat and secretary of the district Jamaat, in the white stone looting incident at that time. On the other hand, the names of more than fifty looters led by the general secretary of the district Jubo Dal, Maqsud Ahmed, and the vice-president of the Companiganj Upazila Awami League, Abdul Adud Alfu Mia, were also published in the media in the sand looting incident. And under their supervision, 2,000 workers kept this sand looting going.
In this continuation, the Companiganj Police Station has already arrested several people, including Rupa Mia, in the Dhalarpar sand looting case. The mobile court has sentenced 26 people who were caught red-handed in the recent raid to various terms of imprisonment.
Ratan Sheikh, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Companiganj Police Station, said, “91 boats were seized during the sand looting during the mobile court raid on Monday morning. The drive against illegal sand and stone extraction will continue.”
